Got any links to these "various columns" you'd care to provide to us? Yeah, no kids are playing Little League Baseball anymore. I mean, the fact that over 7,000 leagues with nearly 2.5 million kids playing the game means nothing compared to your thoughts. If Napolean had had a B-52, I wonder if he would've beaten Wellington and Blücher at Waterloo.
First of all 354,075 of those kids are playing softball, bringing the number of little league players down to 2,322,105. Second of all, the total number of youth players has decreased for seven consecutive seasons and the number of leagues has decreased over the past 4 seasons. Anyway, that means there has been nearly a 10% decrease in players since 1997. Read any NHL preview in any magazine or newspaper. They all say there will be a lockout to begin next season, the length varies depending on which one you read.
You were the one who claimed that MLB could be on its knees in 20 years. So is your argument that out of millions of people playing, we can't find 1000 for MLB? Nevermind that 1/4 of players are coming from abroad. If you argument is that kids aren't interested in baseball, then surely you can't ignore softball players in the numbers. Baseball may lose some popularity over the next few decades, but its so strong that it surely will be a "major sport" for the foreseeable future. There are a few people here that want baseball to fail. Why? I really would like to know why.
If you include softball, the total precentage drops 10.6% I don't like baseball, but I don't want it to die, however, I have a strong feeling that it will fall from grace. I think the reason many soccer fans want it to die is because of a few reasons. 1) If there was no baseball, there would be nothing else during the summer except soccer, which would help the MLS get fans and TV since there would not be much else going on. 2) I don't know about everybody else, but the people in the media who are very anti-soccer tend to be very pro-baseball (i.e. Jim Rome) and that really bothers many soccer supporters. 3) The idea of getting a baseball team has prevented DC United from getting a SSS. Most of that anger is directed towards the DCSEC, not MLB, but there is a feeling of bitterness. I think this reason is more specific to DC, but it is a reason. I'm sure there are other reasons, but those are the ones that come to mind.
well the NHLPA just came to the league with a pretty helpful starting point proposal - reportedly the package features several concessions to help the fiscal situation and the players seem very receptive to a luxury tax-type system - they will fight any hard cap, but i believe this can all get solved without a stoppage - hockey players are, as a group, generally not as selfish as athletes in the other 3 major sports - whether or not my hopes are foolish remains to be seen, but they do have almost a year at the bottom - http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/news;_y...oppingtheglovesforane&prov=usatoday&type=lgns
This argument tends to be overstated by baseball hating soccer fans. While soccer may benefit to an extent from baseball's demise, it would be a significant benefit only if you assume that sports business is a zero-sum game. Well, it's not. Baseball is the only major summer sport, but it's certainly not the only entertainment product. If baseball became extinct today, consumer dollars would go to movies, theme parks and national parks before they go to soccer. Also, if investors bail from baseball, their investments in all sports would diminish as well. If they deem that a major sport is not worth spending in, then they probably wouldn't have a very optimistic view of a niche sport that has yet to really break in this country. So in essence, baseball's loss is soccer's loss.
let's not forget sex, drugs, rock & roll, videogames, etc. - i personally laugh when soccer fans feel the need to pit the sport against the NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL (not that i am referring to you sch2383) - like if the others suffer, somehow soccer will magically benefit
I think the other sports falling will be the effect of soccer doing well and not the cause. That said, the fall of another sport could be of benefit to soccer, since there is only so much moeny and so many people that can go around.
Already dealt with by others. I would just add that the NASL hardly benefitted from a major baseball strike in the '80s. Silliness. Peter Gammons is about as "pro-baseball" as you can get, and his frequently drawn on analogies from soccer in his writings. As has Thomas Boswell, who in spite of his take on the ticketing fiasco for the Honduras match at RFK in 2001 has generally not been anti-soccer. In fact, I have an easier time convincing smart baseball fans (who are aware that there is a lot going on when the casual or non-fan thinks nothing is happening) that soccer is worth watching than I have with fans of other sports. No offense to DC United, but... well, maybe it's because baseball isn't dead or dying makes DC want to try another baseball team.